He went on to pursue higher education in Ghana, USA and Switzerland, earning a number of degrees and becoming fluent in English and French, as well as his native Akan and other African languages.

His career with the United Nations began in 1962, when he got a job working as a budget officer for the UN agency the World Health Organisation.

From 1987 to 1996, Mr Annan served as assistant secretary-general, and in 1996, the United Nations Security Council recommended Annan to replace the previous secretary-general, Dr Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt.

During his 10 years as Secretary-General, some of his most notable accomplishments included his work around HIV/Aids, with the proposal to create a Global AIDS and Health Fund.

In 2001, the Nobel Committee awarded the Peace Prize to Mr Annan for having revitalised the UN and for having given priority to human rights.

Related articles

The committee also recognised his commitment to the struggleDrcontaining the spread of HIV in Africa and his declared opposition to international terrorism.

Mr Annan retired on December 31, 2006.

Before he left, he gave a farewell speech to world leaders at the UN headquarters in New York.

In the speech he outlined three major problems of "an unjust world economy, world disorder, and widespread contempt for human rights and the rule of law", which he believes "have not resolved, but sharpened" during his time as Secretary-General.

He also pointed to violence in Africa, and the Arab–Israeli conflict as two major issues warranting attention.

He said: "The responsibility of the great states is to serve and not dominate the peoples of the world.”

Kofi Annan dies: With former South African president Nelson Mandela, who Annan called a "visionary" (Image: Getty )

Retirement

After retirement, Mr Anna returned to Ghana where he became involved with a number of international humanitarian organisations with a global focus.

In 2007, he established the Kofi Annan Foundation, and independent, not-for-profit organisation that works to promote better global governance and strengthen the capacities of people and countries to achieve a fairer, more peaceful world.

Sine then, he was involved in attempts to implement peace during the Syrian civil war in 2012 and served as Chair of the Elders.

In 2012, he published his memoir, Interventions: A Life in War and Peace.

Mr Annan was married twice: First in 1965 to Titi Alakija, a Nigerian woman from an aristocratic family.

They had a daughter Ama and a son Kojo.

In 1984, he married Nane Maria Lagergren, a Swedish lawyer at the UN.

Along with Mr Annan’s two children, Nane had a daughter from a previous marriage, Nina Cronstedt de Groot.

Kofi Annan dies: With his second wife, Nane Maria Lagergren who was wth him before he died (Image: Getty )

Kofi Annan dies: His son Kojo has become the most well-known in public life. (Image: Getty )

Of his three children, his son Kojo has become the most well-known in public life.

This was due to his alleged involvement inthe UNoil-for-food programme scandal, which allegedly allowed Saddam Hussein to trade controlled amounts of oil to buy food and other essential supplies — is alleged to have been corruptly administered by the former Iraqi leader and the UN.

A statement from the Kofi Annan Foundation said: "His wife Nane and their children Ama, Kojo and Nina were by his side during his last days."

The UN Migration agency hassaid:“arrangement to celebrate [Kofi Annan’s] remarkable life will be announced later.”